Velvety Vegetable Soup with Tarragon Cream

Root vegetables star in this recipe for a velvety vegetable soup topped with a flavorful tarragon cream. Often overlooked and underappreciated, root vegetables such as rutabaga and parsnips are nutritional powerhouses, versatile, and inexpensive.

Velvety Vegetable Soup with Tarragon Cream

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 60 minutes

Yield: 7 servings

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

4 celery ribs, chopped

4 medium carrots, chopped

2 medium leeks, chopped

1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped

3 large parsnips, peeled and chopped

6 cups unsalted vegetable stock

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 bay leaves

Fresh ground pepper to taste

3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped

3/4 cup organic fat-free plain Greek yogurt

Place all the chopped vegetables in a Dutch oven.

Pour vegetable stock over the vegetables and add the thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer for about 45 to 60 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup in a blender in small batches until smooth.

Return the soup to the Dutch oven and add pepper to taste. Place the soup over low heat to keep it warm.

To make the tarragon cream, stir tarragon into the Greek yogurt. Just before serving, place 1/2 tablespoon of the tarragon cream on top of each bowl of soup.

Be sure to blend the cooked soup in small batches to avoid a blender explosion — one of the worst kitchen disasters. An immersion blender allows you to blend this soup right in the pot. When purchasing root veggies, choose more regular shapes for ease in peeling. Store the veggies in a cool, dry place.

Root veggies are at their peak in the winter months, when their robust flavors come alive. Roots taste delightful roasted and caramelized for an easy side dish in the winter months, and roasting may be the trick that gets your kids to eat their veggies.

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